Regularly replacing the carpet in your Northville rental home is essential, but not many landlords find it enjoyable. Have you ever thought about getting rid of the carpet in your rental permanently? More rental property owners are switching from wall-to-wall carpeting to hard-surface flooring. If this idea sounds too extreme, here are some reasons why removing the carpet entirely benefits landlords and tenants.
Carpets may harbor dirt and odor
One of the hardest things about having carpet in a rental home is ensuring it stays clean. Although you may clean the carpets professionally between tenants, they might not take care of them during their tenancy. If tenants remain for several years or more, the carpets could accumulate dirt and grime over time.
Carpet fibers are notorious for holding onto unpleasant odors, especially when not cleaned frequently and thoroughly. Even if the tenant cleans the carpet, they probably prefer to avoid the cost of hiring help or spending their own time.
Alternatively, hard-surface flooring, including laminate or tile, is easy to keep clean. This flooring can be scrubbed to shine in minutes and as frequently as tenants wish to avoid unpleasant stains or smells. Unlike carpet, hard-surface flooring is significantly more sanitary for children and people with respiratory or health issues.
Avoid soaked carpets in case of a flood
Another reason to get rid of carpets is the trouble of cleaning them after water leaks and floods. Even a minor plumbing issue can cause major flooding, and wet carpets can become a significant problem in a rental house.
Wet carpets must be pulled up, and the subflooring, pad, and carpet should be dried immediately and thoroughly to prevent mold. If the carpet cannot be dried, it has to be replaced. If you don’t address a flooding situation promptly and correctly, you risk your residents’ health and severe liability.
Most hard-surface flooring, aside from natural hardwood, is much easier to deal with in a flood. Properly installed laminate and vinyl are very water-resistant and can be dried out efficiently. This means there will be no need for costly restoration services or replacing flooring, just a focused clean-up.
Hardwood floors have a longer lifespan
It’s widely understood that carpets must be replaced every five years. Some landlords try to extend that to seven years or more—usually to their own disadvantage. Most tenants don’t like living on old, worn, or stained carpets. If the carpet isn’t regularly replaced, they might consider leaving.
Old carpeting appears unattractive and is frequently hazardous. As carpet ages, tacks can come up from underneath and hurt people walking on them. Cheap carpet, especially, doesn’t last more than a few years in rental conditions.
Hard-surface flooring, however, lasts much longer. While a tenant can damage a hard-surface floor, most tile or laminate floors will last at least ten to twenty years. Laminate flooring is priced similarly to carpet but doesn’t need to be replaced as often, making it a better rental choice.
Ditch the outdated look of carpets
Finally, wall-to-wall carpet can sometimes make a rental property look dated. In newer homes, carpet is often kept to a minimum, perhaps only in bedrooms or not at all.
To update your rental’s appearance, consider installing attractive laminate or tile flooring instead of carpet in the main areas. Unlike carpet, which tenants can’t change, hard-surface flooring lets tenants add rugs or décor items to customize the space without compromising cleanliness or durability.
Modern laminate tile comes in many sizes, colors, and patterns, including wood-look tiles that can enhance your rental without the cost and hassle of natural hardwood.
Explore the benefits of using hard-surface flooring in rental properties. Get in touch with Real Property Management Synergy at 248-764-3119 or online for tips on creating cost-effective, appealing interiors that tenants will love. Our property managers in Northville specialize in minimizing maintenance costs without compromising tenant appeal.
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